Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for providing a service using a web service cooperation mechanism, such as Web Intents.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in delegation of processing between websites, it was necessary for a function calling party to know a method for calling an application programming interface (API) or a representational state transfer (REST) interface of a function providing party. Accordingly, to cooperate with a different website, each function calling party is required to perform calling party processing according to calling protocols thereof. Further, in many cases, function calling parties are subjected to authentication when each function calling party uses a function provided by the function providing party. Therefore, it was necessary for each function using party to store authentication information about the function providing party or use an appropriate authentication infrastructure (e.g., SAML). However, in a case where authentication information is stored, it is necessary to manage the stored authentication information correctly and safely. On the other hand, in a case where the authentication infrastructure (e.g., SAML) is used, it is necessary to make agreements beforehand between a function provider and a user. Therefore, the burden of each function user increases considerably.
A mechanism capable of cooperating with an arbitrary web service (or a web application) without using any dedicated API is conventionally available. As an example, the mechanism generally referred to as Web Intents is already proposed to loosely couple a service receiving party with a service providing party by execution of a late binding and to realize the cooperation.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-48457, it is conventionally known that a web browser can use a script (e.g., bookmarklet) to transmit information about a cooperation source website to a cooperation destination website. The cooperation destination website can acquire data from the cooperation source website with reference to the transmitted information.
In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-48457, a new cooperation mechanism (e.g., Web Intents) is not taken into consideration at all. In acquiring data from the cooperation source website, it is necessary for the cooperation destination website to get authentication information beforehand about the cooperation source website. Alternatively, the cooperation destination website requires an appropriate authentication cooperation mechanism (e.g., SAML). Accordingly, the cooperation destination website cannot provide any service to an arbitrary cooperation source.
According to the new cooperation mechanism (e.g., Web Intents), to use a providing function that can be provided by a service of the mechanism, a user agent (UA) processes an HTML document including a providing function registration markup. In accessing the service, the UA uses Web Intents corresponding to a function provided by a service registered therein and requests the service to execute the providing function. However, even in the Web Intents mechanism, in requesting a providing function, it is necessary for a user to perform various settings and edit service contents via the UA.
For example, if the providing function includes storage of data, it is necessary to select a data storage destination folder. If the providing function includes selection of images, it is necessary to designate a classification for each image selection. However, even in a case where the data storage destination folder is limited, it is necessary to select the same folder in each operation. Further, even in a case where the classification to be designated in image selection is limited, it is necessary to input the classification every time. User burden increases significantly.
Therefore, various improvements will be required to improve usability with respect to service request of the above-mentioned Web Intents or registration of Web Intents.